Time to put on our walking shoes again - and our
raingear, as a few sprinkles interrupted our sunshine. Kalmar is an
exceptionally pretty town, with almost more than its share of history.
You can't really get a sense of all the history without walking around
in it. Seeing pictures in a book (or on a web page) just doesn't do it.

Jerry kept up with everyone
else, clomping his way along. Nobody believed that he was 76 years old. Or young. Maybe 76 really
IS the new 50...

Kalmar seal

The
walk was a lead-up to the main attraction, Kalmar Castle.

We
could see the castle in the distance, beckoning us onward.

A model of the castle showed what it was like
before a few "modern" renovations undertaken by King Gustav and his sons
in the 1500s.

We had another excellent tour guide (I forget
her name; maybe next time, I'll write that sort of thing down).

After the castle tour, there was a
better-than-average gift shop. We spent some time browsing before we
headed back to the trusty bus. Dave and Mathieu kept it well-stocked
with a variety of beverages for thirsty travelers.

It was a beautiful day for a drive over
the Øresund Bridge between Sweden and Denmark. If this thing isn't on
the list of the
new 7 wonders of the world, it should be.

The group arrived in Copenhagen (København) in
time to stroll around a bit. On our way to dinner, we ran into Hans
Christian Andersen. He regaled us with tales of his life and of the
area. Serendipity? We didn't care if it was or not; we were enthralled.

Evening found us at a historic restaurant,
Det Lille Apotek, where
Andersen and other notables were said to have dined. The specialty of
the house was "stone beef," which consisted of meat and accompaniments
which we seared on a hot lava rock. Some people contended that this was
work, and suggested that the restaurant should be doing the cooking. The
rest of us dug in to our succulent (and perfectly cooked) feast.